Another boatlift question

[MalibuNation]

Once again I need to turn to the smart owners of Malibu boats.

Last year I was looking for something to stick under the feet of my boatlift at the deep end as it sinks and sticks in the muck. A lot of people recommend getting pallets and I didn’t like the idea of busted up wood and some nails on the bottom of the lake. Then my neighbor who’s in the shipping business had some fiberglass/plastic heavy-duty pallets (4’x5’) he was selling at a garage sale. He gave them to me. They are perfect, except they are very buoyant and are a b to get to the bottom of the lake and under the boatlift’s feet. Even trying to stand on them is a b. Now they have 3 sets of legs/feet on each side and 3 in the middle that are hollow and I can pour something in them to make the pallet heavier. I want to pour something in each of the feet that are on the corner – 4 of them. I’m thinking regular concrete might be too heavy and have looked into lightweight concrete (adding pumice, vermiculite or light aggregate instead of sand or gravel).

The leg/feet stick down about 4 inches from the main body of the pallet to allow a forklift to pick them up.

I could use rocks but would rather have something that last.

Can you guys and gals think of anything that I can pour, harden and stick in these legs/feet to make it heavier? My goal is to make the pallet have neutral buoyancy.

My first post on the “new” site and thanks! If you need to you can reach me at [email protected].

[NorCaliBu]

If you're afraid the filling the "legs" with concrete would be too heavy then don't completely fill them. Use plate weights (or something similar) to figure out how much weight it will take to sink them, then divide that amount by the number of legs (9?) and put just that amount of concrete in each leg.

Edited May 17, 2005 by NorCaliBu

[MalibuNation]

I was hoping to fill the legs full (ok I'm weird) and wanted to look at alternatives to concrete. I've also thought of pouring the concrete if I go that way at the lake so I have an idea of how much to add. Thanks

If you're afraid the filling the "legs" with concrete would be too heavy then don't completely fill them.  Use plate weights (or something similar) to figure out how much weight it will take to sink them, then divide that amount by the number of legs (9?) and put just that amount of concrete in each leg.

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Edited May 17, 2005 by jchooper

[NorCaliBu]

(ok I'm weird)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I have to admit that I didn't take that into account.

[Baddog]

Plastic pallets will break down over time and, well, break. Go to your nearest scrap metal place and get some pieces of 2' x 2' x 1/2" steel. Definitely will not be bouyant and will last for quite a few years. Heck, they make ships out of this stuff so it should be OK for the environment too, nit like the petrochemicals they use to make the plastic pallets.

[toyz4roy]

Could you not just drill a couple of holes in the hollow legs to allow some water to enter the legs and make them less bouyant when they are in the water?

[TomS]

I faced this same problem when I lived an a mucky channel and all the neighbors said it could not be done (leveling it sideways to the shoreline). I was able to solve it permanently though.

I obtained leftover 55 gallon plastic industrial drums (steamcleaned after holding chemical liquids) and sawed the tops off within 2-3" to form a round plastic plate with a 3" rim around it. It already had the fill hole and I drilled a couple more evenly spaced. I laid them on the bottom under the corner plates and let the weight of the lift ooze the muck through the 3 holes, then reset the cornering legs to even height. This didn't move for the 10 years I was there and the plastic did not break down at all.